Professional Visits

Guidelines for Visitation

Upon entering the main lobby of the Public Safety building, you will be required to sign in at the reception desk. The deputy will verify your client is here and ask you what type of visit you would like. For attorneys, there are two types of visits: contact and non-contact visits. After signing in, the deputy will direct you to the appropriate location to visit your client.

NOTE: A contact visit is defined as a meeting between an attorney and an inmate in the same room unobstructed by partitions, bars or other barriers.

• Present two forms of proper photo identification (ID)
• Attorneys – valid Virginia Bar Association card 
• Clergy – valid Ordained Pastoral/Minister card
• …and a Valid Government-issued Photo ID
• When requested, contact consultations between attorneys and inmates are permitted.
• All of the general rules for visitors also apply for professional visits.
• Attorneys will be permitted to bring in a briefcase, folders, pads, etc. See Contraband Warning below.

Contraband Warning

WARNING: All staff and persons, including attorneys, and their personal belongings are subject to a search at any time by NNSO security staff via electronic metal detection devices or by a barrier sniff screening by an NNSO Narcotics Detection Canine.

Inmates may not be given anything other than legal papers. For example, items such as but not limited to money, pens, highlighters, paper clips, magazines, books, jewelry, matches, lighters, cigarettes and chewing gum are considered contraband and are strictly prohibited. In addition, items from family members or other sources cannot be given to an inmate.

The Newport News City Jail does not allow any electronic devices inside its facilities unless approved by the Jail Administrator or the Operations Bureau Chief. This includes cameras, tape recorders, computers, note pads and cell phones, etc.

Clothing for court appearances will be accepted only when a court date for a jury trial has been determined. For additional information, please refer to our Property Services page.

Professional Visitation Hours

Professional visiting hours are 8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., seven days a week.

If you arrive during a shift change, understand there is no inmate movement until completion of headcount and all security posts are cleared for normal operations.

In addition, meals are served from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. During these hours, we ask you to be patient. It may take longer for a client to be brought to the visitation area.

Inmates have telephone access from 9 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. by outgoing collect telephone calls only.

Inmate Telephone Monitoring & Recording Warning Notice

All inmate telephone calls, other than properly placed telephone calls to legal counsel who have officially registered their specific telephone lines with the Sheriff’s Office, are subject to monitoring and recording.

Attorneys may register telephone lines with the Sheriff’s Office in writing with the firm's letterhead identifying the telephone number(s) for inmate-client calls. All requests will be addressed as described below and are subject to verification prior to official registration in the inmate telephone system.